Saturday, May 7, 2011

Being Part of a Creative Community

I have been thinking back on the retreat I participated in, in early April, and find myself full of thankfulness that I am part of such a creative community. Some of us have known each other for fifteen or more years; others in the group are relative newcomers. But the thing we share, the thing that connects us, is our creativity. Some would call themselves artists, others would say they were quilters, but perhaps it's most true to say we're all ready to try just about anything that allows us to express ourselves in the work we do. There are informal teaching sessions that take place over the three days on which we meet, but another highlight of our time together is always "Show and Tell". I thought I'd share just a little from this spring with you. First is Dale MacEwan's collage of Market Square in Victoria. Constructed of her own photos, it captures the rich character of this part of town. Next is Hennie Aikman, with her bamboo piece. She tried out Anna Buzzalino's method of quilting fabric first (written up in a recent issue of Quilting Arts), then painting or silk-screening the surface.

Yvonne Turner's salmon is mounted on mosquito netting and a driftwood embellished wooden frame.Carol Seeley spends a large part of each summer boating with her husband, and has become known for her hand appliqued landscape pieces. The last photo is of an African crazy quilt adaption that Trudy Thorne made for herself out of scraps left from her hours of cutting fabrics for Kitambaa Designs. This is just a small taste of the work being done by some of my creative friends in this part of the world. I am so admiring of each of them. You can see why I consider myself so fortunate. When we get together, the energy is almost palpable, the ideas flow, the possibilities are endless. I consider myself rich indeed to be part of such a community.

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About Me

I am a textile artist and quiltmaker, a teacher and a writer. I have been playing with fabric for over 30 years, the last 15 of which have been spent creating original work and teaching design-based classes. I have a deep connection with the women of Africa, and since 2007 have spent part of each year teaching sewing and quilting to women in Uganda.